Saturday 9 November 2024 - Wilmslow parkrun #433

A few of us gathered at Wilmslow for Greg's 600th parkrun. Here's an extract from the official run report:

On a perfectly still, cool November morning, we started with an annual Wilmslow tradition on Remembrance weekend. Run Director Mandy started her briefing early; this allowed time to play the Last Post, and observe a one minute silence, to honour the brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice, and who continue to do so in conflicts around the world. After this moving tribute it was business as usual, and a mention for Greg Barber on the occasion of his 600th parkrun! An astounding milestone achievement. We also welcomed visitors over from Ireland.

Little did we know at the start that we were in the presence of Olympic royalty! BBC presenter and Wilmslow regular Rachel Burden had persuaded her co-presenter Rick Edwards to do his very first parkrun, and none other than cycling legend Laura Kenny was there to enjoy the fun too! All this was recorded for the BBC 5 Live Breakfast programme on Monday morning - tune in to find out how Rick and Laura got on.

Here, the 223 participants mill about at the start.

I know I'm slow, but really...!

I did manage to overtake a few folk to finish in 32 minutes, position 165, and I was there to greet Jeanette at the finish.

Meanwhile, the full results are here, but Andy, one second ahead of Sue, and Sue adjourned with the rest of us for coffees, oblivious of their having finished just a few seconds ahead of Dame of the Realm and multiple Olympic Gold Medalist, Laura Kenny and her friends!

Well, that was a jolly start to the weekend!

Autumn in Timperley

Richard's 60th birthday. Readers have I know been waiting for this entry. We treated him (and me, Sue and Jenny), to some of Daryl's excellent salmon fillets. Mary Berry's 'Make it Easy', 'Salmon and Herbed Hollandaise Pavé', with suitable starter (asparagus), accompaniment (Sprouts with Peas, Shitaki Mushrooms and Cashew Nuts) and dessert (Raspberry Parfait). This made for an excellent meal, helped by a bottle of Bollinger that we won in a Jazz Club raffle!

Autumn in Timperley has provided some lovely colours despite there being grey (but mainly dry) days with not much sunshine. I think we had half an hour of sunshine in 11 days.

The following pictures were taken more or less a stone's throw from home from the canal towpath, but De Quincey Park has also sported some lovely autumn colours.

Near Walton Park

Walton Perks cafe doing good business

By the cemetery near Marsland Bridge

Sale Marina

The above pictures were taken on 12 November. The couple of snaps below were taken on the misty morning of 13 November on the bit of towpath that you can see from our house. The water must be quite good here, sustaining lots of fish. This is evidenced by the frequent sight of fishermen. 

Kingfishers fly up and down, and there's a resident cormorant as well as an egret. Grey wagtails get under your feet, but not as much as the Canada geese. On the water there are lots of mallards, a few moorhens, and the occasional coot. Swans glide past looking for bread, and herons take their places at regular intervals beside the path, ignoring humans. At this time of year the peace can be shattered by a flock of black-headed gulls, and a colony of starlings who roost in a poplar tree. There are numerous hedgerow birds as well - blackbirds, robins, sparrows, song thrushes, sometimes blackcaps, and an assortment of tits, below which feral pigeons, wood pigeons, and sometimes a collared dove, all scavenge for left overs.